Validation of gas entrainment evaluation method in simplified hot plenum model of sodium cooled fast reactor

Ezure, Toshiki; Akimoto, Yuta; Matsushita, Kentaro; Tanaka, Masaaki

Dai-27-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2023/09

In hot plenums of sodium-cooled fast reactors, restriction of cover gas entrainment caused by vortex dimples on the free surface is an important thermal-hydraulic issue. For this reason, the authors have developed an evaluation method of gas entrainment with an evaluation tool named, StreamViewer. In this study, evaluation using StreamViewer was applied to a water experiment having a simplified hot pool geometry aiming at the validation of the evaluation method toward the application to the evaluation of a pool-type sodium cooled fast reactor. In StreamViewer, the three-dimensional distribution of pressure decrease along the vortex center line was calculated from the velocity distribution obtained by CFD analyses, and the free surface dimple depth was obtained from the hydraulic balance with the pressure distribution and the cover gas pressure. As the results, it was confirmed that the onset of gas entrainment could be predicted appropriately based on the above-mentioned calculation method.

Measurement of double-differential neutron yields for iron, lead, and bismuth induced by 107-MeV protons for research and development of accelerator-driven systems

Iwamoto, Hiroki; Nakano, Keita; Meigo, Shinichiro; Satoh, Daiki; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Sugihara, Kenta*; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Ishi, Yoshihiro*; Uesugi, Tomonori*; Kuriyama, Yasutoshi*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 284, p.01023_1 - 01023_4, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328401023

For accurate prediction of neutronic characteristics for accelerator-driven systems (ADS) and a source term of spallation neutrons for reactor physics experiments for the ADS at Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), we have launched an experimental program to measure nuclear data on ADS using the Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (FFAG) accelerator at Kyoto University. As part of this program, the proton-induced double-differential thick-target neutron-yields (TTNYs) and cross-sections (DDXs) for iron, lead, and bismuth have been measured with the time-of-flight (TOF) method. For each measurement, the target was installed in a vacuum chamber on the beamline and bombarded with 107-MeV proton beams accelerated from the FFAG accelerator. Neutrons produced from the targets were detected with stacked, small-sized neutron detectors for several angles from the incident beam direction. The TOF spectra were obtained from the detected signals and the FFAG kicker magnet's logic signals, where gamma-ray events were eliminated by pulse shape discrimination. Finally, the TTNYs and DDXs were obtained from the TOF spectra by relativistic kinematics. The measured TTNYs and DDXs were compared with calculations by the Monte Carlo transport code PHITS with its default physics model of INCL version 4.6 combined with GEM and those with the JENDL-4.0/HE nuclear data library.

Development of nondestructive elemental analysis system for Hayabusa2 samples using muonic X-rays

Osawa, Takahito; Nagasawa, Shunsaku*; Ninomiya, Kazuhiko*; Takahashi, Tadayuki*; Nakamura, Tomoki*; Wada, Taiga*; Taniguchi, Akihiro*; Umegaki, Izumi*; Kubo, Kenya*; Terada, Kentaro*; et al.

ACS Earth and Space Chemistry (Internet), 7(4), p.699 - 711, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.2c00303

The concentrations of carbon and other major elements in asteroid samples provide very important information on the birth of life on the Earth and the solar-system evolution. Elemental analysis using muonic X-rays is one of the best analytical methods to determine the elemental composition of solid materials, and notably, is the only method to determine the concentration of light elements in bulk samples in a non-destructive manner. We developed a new analysis system using muonic X-rays to measure the concentrations of carbon and other major elements in precious and expectedly tiny samples recovered from the asteroid Ryugu by spacecraft Hayabusa2. Here we report the development process of the system in 4 stages and their system configurations, The analysis system is composed of a stainless-steel analysis chamber, an acrylic glove box for manipulating asteroid samples in a clean environment, and Ge semiconductor detectors arranged to surround the analysis chamber. The performance of the analysis system, including the background level, which is crucial for the measurement, was greatly improved from the first stage to the later ones. Our feasibility study showed that the latest model of our muonic X-ray analysis system is capable of determining the carbon concentration in Hayabusa2's sample model with an uncertainty of less than 10 percent in a 6-day measurement.

Electronic properties of DNA-related molecules containing a bromine atom

Hirato, Misaki*; Onizawa, Misato*; Baba, Yuji*; Haga, Yoshinori; Fujii, Kentaro*; Wada, Shinichi*; Yokoya, Akinari*

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 99(1), p.82 - 88, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2020.1800121

New isomers in Cf

Orlandi, R.; Makii, Hiroyuki; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Hirose, Kentaro; Asai, Masato; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Sato, Tetsuya; Ito, Yuta; Suzaki, Fumi; Nagame, Yuichiro*; et al.

Physical Review C, 106(6), p.064301_1 - 064301_11, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.106.064301

Data acquisition and display module for time-of-flight neutron measurement

To, Kentaro; Nakamura, Tatsuya; Sakasai, Kaoru; Yamagishi, Hideshi*

Proceedings of 2022 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference (2022 IEEE NSS MIC RTSD) (Internet), 3 Pages, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC44845.2022.10399243

A real-time data display and storage module was developed for time-of-flight neutron measurement. The module can display real-time experimental data from two-dimensional neutron detector in a two-dimensional image, one-dimensional projection images in X- and Y-axis, and time-of-flight spectra. The module has two modes of operation: standard mode, and simple-display mode. The simple-display mode only displays the experimental results on the monitor and can operate faster than that in the standard mode because the module uses the limited function. Therefore, the simple-display mode is also useful for measurement of high-counting rate neutrons. Operation test using test pulses were performed to confirm the operating speed of the module. The module in standard and simple-display mode could measure the continuous test pulses without counting losses with a frequency of 1.0 and 1.6 MHz, respectively.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors

Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Morishita, Masaki*; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ando, Masanori; Ashida, Takashi; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Doda, Norihiro; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Ezure, Toshiki; Fukano, Yoshitaka; et al.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.3, 631 Pages, 2022/07

https://shop.elsevier.com/books/sodium-cooled-fast-reactors/morishita/978-0-12-824076-2

This book is a collection of the past experience of design, construction, and operation of two reactors, the latest knowledge and technology for SFR designs, and the future prospects of SFR development in Japan. It is intended to provide the perspective and the relevant knowledge to enable readers to become more familiar with SFR technology.

Evaluation of gas entrainment flow rate by free surface vortex

Torikawa, Tomoaki*; Odaira, Naoya*; Ito, Daisuke*; Ito, Kei*; Saito, Yasushi*; Matsushita, Kentaro; Ezure, Toshiki; Tanaka, Masaaki

Konsoryu, 36(1), p.63 - 69, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.3811/jjmf.2022.004

On free surface of a sodium cooled fast reactor, gas entrainment can be caused by free surface vortices, which may result in disturbance in core power. It is important to develop an evaluation model to predict accurately entrained gas flow rate. In this study, entrained gas flow rate a simple gas entrainment experiment is conducted with focusing on effect of pressure difference between upper and lower tanks. Pressure difference between upper and lower tanks are controlled by changing gas pressure in lower tank. As a result, it is confirmed that the entrained gas flow rate increases with increasing pressure difference between upper and lower tanks. By visualization of swirling annular flow in suction pipe, it is also observed that pressure drop in suction pipe increases with increase in entrained gas flow rate, which implies that entrained gas flow rate can be predicted by evaluation model based on pressure drop in swirling annular flow region.

Tumor radioresistance caused by radiation-induced changes of stem-like cell content and sub-lethal damage repair capability

Fukui, Roman*; Saga, Ryo*; Matsuya, Yusuke; Tomita, Kazuo*; Kuwahara, Yoshikazu*; Ouchi, Kentaro*; Sato, Tomoaki*; Okumura, Kazuhiko*; Date, Hiroyuki*; Fukumoto, Manabu*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 12(1), p.1056_1 - 1056_12, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05172-4

Alive cancer cells after fractionated irradiations with 2 Gy X-rays per day for more than 30 days show clinically relevant radioresistant. Such radioresistance is experimentally interpreted to attributed to the increment of stem-like cell content. However, only an experimental approach cannot clarify the cell responses (DNA damage and cell death induction) of cancer stem cells, so the radioresistant mechanisms remain uncertain. In addition to the conventional cell experiments using radio-resistant cell lines established after fractionated irradiations, in this study we developed a mathematical model (so called integrated microdosimetric-kinetic (IMK) model) explicitly considering cancer stem-like cell content and DNA damage responses and investigated radioresistant mechanisms acquired after fractionated irradiations. The IMK model analysis suggested that the changes of stem-like cell fraction and DNA repair efficiency play important roles of radioresisitance acquired after irradiations. Considering these into the IMK model, we successfully reproduced the experimental survival of various cell lines and various irradiation conditions. This work would contribute to not only the precise understanding of the radioresistant mechanisms induced after irradiation but also predicting curative effects with high precision.

Two-dimensional scintillation neutron detectors for the extension of SENJU diffractometer

Nakamura, Tatsuya; To, Kentaro; Koizumi, Tomokatsu; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Ohara, Takashi; Ebine, Masumi; Sakasai, Kaoru

Proceedings of 2020 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC 2020), Vol.1, p.483 - 484, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC42677.2020.9507813

Two-dimensional neutron detectors were developed for the extension of SENJU time-of-flight Laue single crystal neutron diffractometer in J-PARC MLF. The detectors are to be installed at the additional detector bank for the SENJU instrument. The detector module is made based on ZnS scintillator and wavelength-shifting fiber technology, where each detector module maintains a neutron-sensitive area of 256256 mm with a pixel size of 44 mm. To meet the tight space limitation in the instrument, the detector was designed as compact as possible. The detector has a depth of 170 mm, which is about 40% smaller than that of the original SENJU detector. All four produced detectors exhibited similar detector performances: detection efficiency 50-60% for 2- neutron, Co gamma-ray sensitivity 110, count uniformity 3-6%.